Surface Water Quality, Oil Sands Region

The surface water quality (WQ) program, as part of the Joint Canada/Alberta Implementation Plan, is designed to improve the ability to detect change and predict effects in relation to point and non‐point sources. A mass‐balance approach has been used for assessing the quantity, movement, and cycling of materials in the watershed. Applying this approach required a sampling program which included quantification of the sources, transport, flux, and fate of materials and contaminants. The Surface WQ monitoring sampling includes, in part, collection of;

  • event (freshet and rain) based WQ samples in tributaries ranging from daily to bi-weekly,

  • WQ samples in the Athabasca River using cross-channel transect methods at specified Phase 1 sites,

  • enhanced (additional parameters) WQ sampling at M9, M12, and M11A and at 5 new interconnecting channel stations within the Expanded Geographical Area (EGA),

  • ground water samples in specific high priority tributaries, and

  • auto-monitoring (near real-time) on a subset of parameters at sites in the EGA

Data and Resources

Field Value
Groups
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • National Provider
  • North America
Tags
  • AmeriGEO
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • CKAN
  • Canada
  • GEO
  • GEOSS
  • National
  • North America
isopen False
license_id ca-ogl-lgo
license_title ca-ogl-lgo
maintainer_email ian.droppo@canada.ca
metadata_created 2025-11-24T21:22:01.589702
metadata_modified 2025-11-24T21:22:01.589706
notes The surface water quality (WQ) program, as part of the Joint Canada/Alberta Implementation Plan, is designed to improve the ability to detect change and predict effects in relation to point and non‐point sources. A mass‐balance approach has been used for assessing the quantity, movement, and cycling of materials in the watershed. Applying this approach required a sampling program which included quantification of the sources, transport, flux, and fate of materials and contaminants. The Surface WQ monitoring sampling includes, in part, collection of; - event (freshet and rain) based WQ samples in tributaries ranging from daily to bi-weekly, - WQ samples in the Athabasca River using cross-channel transect methods at specified Phase 1 sites, - enhanced (additional parameters) WQ sampling at M9, M12, and M11A and at 5 new interconnecting channel stations within the Expanded Geographical Area (EGA), - ground water samples in specific high priority tributaries, and - auto-monitoring (near real-time) on a subset of parameters at sites in the EGA
num_resources 6
num_tags 8
title Surface Water Quality, Oil Sands Region